Tag Archives: testing

The end of April and most of May was dedicated to studying for Part IV Boards. Part IV is the last of the National Board exams we are expected to take. I took them on May 15 and 16. I was lucky to test on Friday and Saturday. Some of my classmates had to test Friday and Sunday, meaning they got an extra day to study for Sunday’s exam but they also didn’t get that extra day after to relax and unwind. So I was very happy to test and have it over with and have Saturday night and Sunday to just relax and try and declutter my brain.

Part IV is the practical portion of the Board exams, so it’s formatted differently than all the other Board exams. We’re tested over orthopedic and neurologic exams, physical exams and technique. There are 25 rooms where we are given real cases with actors who portray real life conditions that will present in our offices. We’re graded on how well we perform the exams, if we can diagnose the condition, if we know the follow up care, if we are professional and on how we interact with our patient.

The practical portion took about three hours for us to get through, but you’re not allowed to leave the test site until everyone in the country has finished testing (there are testing sites across the U.S.). Lucky for me I only had to stick around for an extra hour and a half. The first group that tested had to stay on campus for, like, five hours after their exam. They watched quite a few movies, from what I understand.

Anyway, the exam was tough, but I feel like I was prepared enough in my education and what I studied to do well. Unfortunately I won’t know for six weeks until the results come back to us. That’s Boards for ya! Take some of the worst exams of your life, study for weeks and don’t know how you did for a month and a half after you’ve taken it.

The good news is, the Palmer Davenport testing site has a very good pass rate, and I’m taking that as we are taught well and we know what we are talking about. Another great reason to choose Palmer!